Sociology, Empathy, War, and Peace

Peace is Every Step

What is Sociology?  Different people have very different takes on the subject, of course.  Here is the way Sam Richards, a Sociologist and Co-Director of Race Relationship Project at Penn State University, explained it recently to an audience.  He demonstrated what he calls "A Radical Experiment in Empathy".  Very interesting!   In a book that just came out entitled Unmaking War, Making Men, which I hope to read soon, Kathleen Barry,  Professor Emerita of Sociology at Penn State University seem to be exploring the subjects of War and Empathy further.  If you have read the book, and feel like it, tell us what you have learned from it and how it made you feel.

The Struggle for Truth ...

True or False by Scott Kim

What is the truth, and how do we distinguish truth from falsehood?  It is not easy to answer this question.  Some even argue that there is no such thing as objective truth.  Faced with such a dilemma, some settle for what they already believe in, while others keep seeking the truth.  Which camp we are in depends largely on how we are brought up.  I think that the journey is much more interesting than the destination, and hence I hope to be able to not settle and keep the sense of wonder alive.  Another related question is what is Justice? There is a very interesting course at Harvard University on this very subject, namely Justice.